St. Landry democrat., 1887-02-12

, wafis around the place to that every doo4
was properly closed for the night. His ere.
dentiaIs were fair face, innpudence and fiat.
terry, and they won, as they have won even
greater prizes thousands Of times before and
will again, when truth and constancy fail to
even WIN a smile. Women are never tired of
bewailing mans fickleness in love, but they
only seem to snub his constancy. And so,
astonishing as it was, i'll less than week
Bathsheba had married the dashing soldier
with the willy tOngue-nlarred him suddenly
without a moments preparation. His impu-
dent galantry had fascinated her and she
adored him And he was a man who lied to
| all women like Cretan. His rule for dealing
| with women was either to curse or f1atter.
I He knew no third method. "Ireat them
| fairly and you are lost man., lie would say
| And he carried out his rule after his mar
| riage to Bathsheba. He bullied ner, deceived
! her, spent her money recklessly and vilely,
! tortured her, neglected and insulted her, and
| still she loved him. Gabriel Oak and Mr..
Boldwood looked on and saw the heart break
and scenes of repentance which ensued from
this work Of haste, and suffered but contin-
ued to love her silently and hopeIessly
One day dreadful thing happened. Fanny
Robin came back and died with a baby in
titl oil HIS III LIlt WOfkUblSP. FGnllF HDDH,
the maid whom Gabriel Oak had seen by the
churchyaGd wall on the same night that he
became the shepherd of Bathsheba's farm,
and all tie parish and even Bathsheba
learned that Sergt Troy, Bathsheba's hus-
band, had brought her to grief. destitution
and death And over her dead body he con-
fessed himself a wretch. and told Bathsbeba
that he had never loved her, and that the
dead woman was more TO him than she ever
was ever could be.
Then he eft her and was reported drowned
and she grew used to the new order of things.
aud to. experience a relief in being free from,
torture. only the torture of the never-fadiur
knowledge that the man she had loved so in
tensely had never loved her at all. In the
earnest heart of Mr.. Boldwood the flowers of
hope again took root and bloomed: and when
the year Of Bathshebas widOwhood was near
its close he went to her and asked her to
promise to marry him, even though the fulfill
ment of the promise was set for the far future
And she, feeling that she had once injured
him IN sheer idleness, promised that she would
soon promise to marry him at the end of six
years. How could they know of the specter
that touched elbows with them soon as the
words were spoken: They did not know that
Bathshebas husband, in his busy, aggravat-
ing and troublous body, was near. He ap-
peared boldly on the scene at the house of Mr..
Boldwood at party where Bathsheba was
guest Stepping inside he addressed Batbshe-
ba and babe her come with him He laid a
hand upon. her to pull her cut of her seat.
She writhe1 and gave a quick, low scream.
Then there was sudden deafening report. a
flash, and volume of gray smoke; and when
the smoke filtered away the dead body of
Sergt. Troy was on the floor; Mr. Bold
wood had shot him. The silent, Gtrong man
had been unnerved By his long suffering and
by the repression of his love At last, lust as
the doors Of paradise had opened to let him
hope, the man who had once before snatched
the cup of bliss from his hand appeared
Even this could have been borne by Mr.
Boldwcod, but when he saw Bathsheba
shrink from his touch he was frenzied and
killed hef tornentor. He had become mad
man His hopeless love, with all its battling
had crazed him. They found many
pathetic proofs of it in his home, hidden away
rom the sight of any.
This was the result of q. girls Valentines
houghtless folly-for which she paid pen
llty of tears and agony.
The years slipped by and Bathsheda mar
led Gabriel Oak at last 1t came about by
lis pretending that he didn't care rap about
Ter. Indeed, when the villagers started the
eport that he and she would marry, he said
o her that it was absurd; that he didn't de-
ire any such thing So very perverse are
gomen's ways, that size gave him to UNDER
tand that she didn't think it abszrd at all;
nd when he was sure of his groand he ad-
litted that he had danced at her ,kittish heels
or many long mila and many long day,
ut considered his reward as ample compen-
alton.
They We're marrSsd; but the sadness over
lr. Boldwoods fase never quite lifted from
'athsheba. Again and again, in remember
lg the past, vita its resultant sorrow, did
le say in bitter self reproach: THAT galen-
ne! Oh, that valentine!a